Production broiler with hanging food holders

ABSTRACT

Production broiler with vertically disposed burner means defining a plurality of open-ended broiler spaces, an endless chain supported and driven by sprockets mounted on vertical axes, hangers spaced along and supported by the chain for movement longitudinally of the broiler spaces, food holders removably depending from the hangers by means of hanger-engaging portions spaced longitudinally from each other, each food holder comprising a first part engaging the hangers and a second part having a base pivotally mounted at its outer edge on the first part and a wall upstanding therefrom to define a tray for normally supporting a meat patty on edge, the weight of the patty maintaining the tray in closed position, a delivery chute, means for automatically moving the trays to open position to deliver patties therefrom into the chute, means operable automatically thereafter to move the trays to closed position, and normally inoperative deflector means selectively movable to operative position to effect automatic disengagement of the food holders from the hangers for cleaning purposes.

United States Patent Meyer [4 May 23, 1972 [54] PRODUCTION BROHJER WITHHANGING FOOD HOLDERS Primary Examiner-Billy Wilhite Attorney-Davis,Lucas, Brewer dc Brugman [72] Inventor: Alfred E. Meyer, ProspectHeights, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Anetsberger Brothers Inc., Northbrook, [57] ABSTRACTProduction broiler with vertically disposed burner means [22] Filed; Oct2, 1970 defining a plurality of open-ended broiler spaces, an endlesschain supported and driven by sprockets mounted on vertical PP 77,614axes, hangers spaced along and supported by the chain for movementlongitudinally of the broiler spaces, food holders removably dependingfrom the hangers by means of hanger- [52] U.S. Cl 9999/2306, g g gportions Spaced lonimdinany from each other each I 51 1 Int Cl 7 37/04food holder comprising a first part engaging the hangers and a Second phaving a base pivotally mounted at its outer [58] Field of Search 126/41A, 41 C, 99/261, 352,

on the first part and a wall upstanding therefrom to define a 99/355,393, 386, 399, 400, 402, 427, 446

tray for normally supporting a meat patty on edge, the weight of thepatty maintaining the tray in closed position, a delivery [56]References cued chute, means for automatically moving the trays to openposi- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion to deliver patties therefrom into thechute, means operable automatically thereafter to move the trays toclosed posi- 1,518,81 1 12/1924 Murray ..99/386 tion, and normallyinoperative d fl t means selectively 1718:1855 9/1955 Rcad ct movable tooperative position to effect automatic disengageg; llihfeflbcrg ment ofthe food holders from the hangers for cleaning purensen oses 2,689,5179/1954 Angelus... ..99/345 p 3,525,300 8/ 1970 Genetti ..99/427 11Claims, 6 Drawing Figures P 5 'WW i Patented May 23, 1972 3,664,257

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented May 23, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PRODUCTIONBROILER WITH HANGING FOOD HOLDERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Fieldof the Invention This invention relates generally to food productionequipment, and more particularly to machines for broiling meat patties,or the like, on edge to effect simultaneous broiling of both sides.

2. Description of the Prior Art Generally similar production broilersare disclosed in the prior art. While the prior art employs a sprocketdriven chain with depending hangers for hanging wire basket food holdersthereon, an objectionable dirt and grease collecting trackway isemployed to support the chain, the food holders must be placed on andremoved from the hangers manually, and they are supported only at asingle point so as to be readily susceptible of undesirable verticaltwisting, especially as induced during direction changing movements ofthe chain. The prior art also employs very expensively constructed pattyclamping means secured to and upstanding from a chain at the bottom ofthe device, which renders the machine substantially impossible to keepclean.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention overcomes the undesirablefeatures of such prior art structures by employing an endless chaindrivingly supported solely by sprockets mounted on vertical axes aboveopen-ended broiler spaces, with hangers spaced from each other along anddepending from the chain, and food holders readily removably carried independing relationship by the hangers for continuous longitudinalmovement through the broiler spaces, each food holder havinghanger-engaging portions spaced longitudinally from each other forengaging different hangers to stabilize the food holders and avoidvertical twisting thereof. Each food holder comprises a first partincluding such hanger-engaging portions at its upper end and anoutwardly extending horizontal floor, and a second part having a basewith an outer edge pivotally mounted on the outer edge of the floor ofthe first part and a wall secured at its lower end to the base anddefining a right angle therewith, the second part comprising a tray fora meat patty, or the like, whereby the weight of a patty thereinnormally maintains the tray in closed position. The broiler includes adelivery chute and tray-opening means to effect outward pivotal movementof each tray as it approaches the chute to automatically deliver a pattyin the holder to the chute. Limiting means terminate the tray-openingmovements and further operate automatically thereafter to effecttray-closing movements. Normally inoperative deflector means areprovided for selective manual movement to operative position toautomatically effect separation of the food holders from their hangerswhen it is desired to clean the same.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a production broilerembodying the features of the invention, as seen from the front thereof;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the broiler of FIG. 1, as seen from therear;

FIG. 3 is a detail elevation showing a food holder with its tray inclosed position as it approaches the tray-opening means;

FIG. 4 is a detail elevation similar to FIG. 3 showing a tray in fulllines in partially open position and in fully open position in brokenlines;

FIG. 5 is a detail side elevation of the normally inoperative deflectormeans, with the same shown in operative position in broken lines; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the food holders with the trayportion thereof in partially open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly toFIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 1 indicates in general a suitableframe for a production broiler embodying the features of the inventionwhich includes a base 12, an intermediate portion 13 and an upper part14. Suitable burner means 15 of any desired construction are mounted inwell-known manner on the base 12 in laterally spaced relationship toeach other to define a plurality of openended broiler spaces 16therebetween.

Mounted on the upper part 14 is a motor means 17 (FIG. 1) of anysuitable type and including speed change mechanism selectivelycontrolled by a control member 18 for actuating a drive chain 19. Aplurality of sprockets 21 are rotatably mounted on vertical axessuitably journalled and depending from the upper part 14 of the frameand disposed adjacent the ends of the broiler spaces 16, with at leastone of the sprockets 21 being drivingly rotated by the chain 19, asthrough the agency of an intermediate sprocket assembly 22 and a seconddrive chain 23.

Engaging and supported solely by the sprockets 21 is an endless chain 24having hangers 25 spaced from each other and secured thereto independing relationship for continuous movementlongitudinally of thebroiler spaces 16 in response to operation of the motor means 17. Asbest seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the these hangers 25 is suitablyapertured adjacent its depending end at 26 to receive a hanger-engaginghook portion 27 extending upwardly from a food holder indicatedgenerally by reference numeral 28.

As best seen in FIG. 6, each food holder 28 comprises a first partdefining a vertical wall 29 terminating at its upper end in two of saidhanger-engaging portions 27 which are spaced longitudinally from eachother for engaging different hangers 25 to stabilize the food holder andavoid vertical twisting thereof. The vertical wall 29 of the first partof each food holder 28 terminates at its lower end in an outwardlyextending horizontal floor 31. It is preferred that the vertical wall 29and floor 31 be formed by means of bent rods 32 secured in parallelrelationship to each other, as by means of a longitudinally extendingrod 33 welded thereto, and that the hanger-engaging portions 27 compriseupward extensions of the end rods 32. The outer, lower ends of the rods32 preferably are formed into loops to receive a hinge pin 34.

Each food holder 28'also includes a second part having a base 35preferably formed by a plurality of parallel rods having their outerends bent to form loops engaged by the hinge pin 34. Suitable securingnuts 36 are mounted on the ends of the hinge pin 34 to preventseparation of the base 35 from the floor 31. The second part of the foodholder 28 also includes a second vertical wall 37 which preferablycomprises a plurality of rods welded at their lower ends respectively tothe rods forming the base 35 and defining right angles therewith, withsuch points of attachment of the wall 37 to the base 35 being asubstantial distance inwardly from the outer edge of the latter or hingepin 34. The upper end portions of the rods forming the wall 37 aresecured together, as by means of a longitudinally extending rod 38welded thereto. Each of the food holders 28 also includes a tailpiece 39suitably secured to and extending outwardly from the base 35 of thesecond part and a finger 41 extending outwardly and upwardly from thewall 37 of the second part, which preferably comprises an extension ofthe forward end rod forming the wall 37.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second part of each holder 28,comprising the base 35 and wall 37 vertical with respect thereto,defines a tray for a meat patty 42, or the like. In its normal positionof FIG. 3, this tray is maintained in closed position with the secondwall 37 vertical and the patty 42 disposed on edge between that wall andwall 29. The patty 42 thus normally is so maintained on edge duringbroiling as it travels through the broiler spaces 16 by the weight ofthe patty resting upon the base 35 and the floor 31. Because of thesubstantial distance between the second wall 37 and the hinge pin 34defining the outer edges of the members 31, 35, the weight of the pattythus assures a maximum tray-closing force being imposed as a momentabout the pivot 34.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a delivery chute 43 is disposed adjacentone corner of the frame 11. Means are pro vided for automaticallydelivering a broiled patty 42 into this chute as the food holder 28completes its broiling run through the spaces 16 and arrives oppositethe chute. To accomplish this, tray-opening means comprising a rail 44(FIG. 1) is secured at one end in any suitable manner to theintermediate portion 13 of the frame and is bent to provide a free endextending downwardly and forwardly in the normal path of movement of thetailpieces 39 on the holders 28. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, as eachfood holder 28 is moved forwardly in approaching the location of theupper end of the chute 43, its tailpiece 39 engages the under-surface ofthis rail 44 and continued longitudinal movement of the food holdercauses its tray portion defined by the base 35 and wall 37 to be tiltedoutwardly about the hinge pin 34 as a pivotal axis. An intermediateposition of the tray during such movement is illustrated in full linesin FIG. 4, and continued longitudinal movement of the food holder 28results in swinging of the tray into its outer lowermost position shownin broken lines in FIG. 4 to deliver the patty 42 carried thereby intothe chute 43.

Such tray-opening movement is limited by engagement of the finger 41with the upper surface of the left-hand end portion of a second rail 45(FIG. 1) which is mounted on the machine frame in any suitable mannerand extends upwardly across the front of the machine and curvesrearwardly at its right-hand end into the right-hand broiler space 16.This second rail or tray-opening limiting means 45 not only limitsopening movement of the trays comprising the second parts of the foodholders 28, but also is so shaped as to be operable automaticallythereafter, as the fingers 41 are carried along its upper surface, toeffect tray-closing inward pivotal movement of the second parts of thefood holders 28. It will be appreciated that this second rail 45 is socontoured as to maintain the trays in open position throughout the majorportion of their movement transversely across the front of the machine.

This permits manual placement or automatic loading of patties 42, or thelike, on the then upper surface of the second wall 37. As each foodholder 28 reaches the position shown in FIG. 1 at the right-hand frontcorner of the machine, this second rail 45 starts a relatively steeprise to effect complete closing of the tray or return to its normalposition of FIG. 3. The latter portion of such closing movement of thetray is enhanced by the moment applied to the base 35 by the weight ofthe patty which also functions throughout the broiling cycle to maintainthe tray closed and the patty disposed in vertical edge position.

It will be appreciated that as the broiling takes place within thelongitudinal spaces 16, drippings of fat from the food being broiledwill occur. Such drippings are conveniently caught by troughs 46disposed on the frame base 12 and sloping downwardly from front to rearof the broiler. The rear ends of the troughs 46, as shown in FIG. 2, areopen for drainage into a collecting trough 47 from which the drippingsmay be removed in any suitable manner.

It will be understood that one of the primary difficulties encounteredin such broilers is the cleaning thereof following a production run.This invention contemplates the provision of normally inoperativedeflector means which may be selectively rendered operative manually toautomatically remove the food holders 28 from their supporting hangers25. This materially assista a cleaning operation and preferably iseffected so as to deliver the food holders 28 onto the chute 43. Suchmeans is illustrated in F IGS. 3 and as comprising a deflector plate 48,the rear portion of which (left end in FIG. 5) slopes upwardly andconverges with a forward surface 49 which rises inwardly toward itsinner edge. This deflector plate 48 is disposed in the forward portionof the left-most broiler space 16 and is pivotally supported by means ofsuitable brackets 51 secured in any desired manner to the upper surfaceof the intermediate portion 13 of the machine frame 11 and front andrear pairs of links 52 pivotally mounted at 53 at their lower ends onthe brackets 51 and pivotally engaging adjacent their upper endstransverse rods 54 that may be welded or otherwise suitably secured tothe under-surface of the plate 48. As seen in FIG. 5, the lower end ofone of the rear links 52 extends downwardly beyond its pivot 53 and issuitably slotted to receive the laterally bent forward end of a controlrod 55, the rear end of which extends outwardly from the broiler formanual operation, as indicated in FIG. 2.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the deflector plate 48 in its normal lowermostor inoperative position is disposed below and-clear of the food holders28 as the latter pass forwardly or away from the viewer in FIG. 3through the left-hand broiler space 16. This is the full line positionof the deflector plate as illustrated in FIG. 5. When it is desired torender this deflector plate operative, the manually operable control rod55 is pulled rearwardly (to the left in FIG. 5) which swings the plateupwardly into its broken line position. It is maintained in such raisedoperative position until returned to normal inoperative position throughthe agency of the control rod 55. 7

When the deflector plate 48 is in its raised operative position, therear sloping surface thereof will be engaged by the forward end of thefloor 31 as each food holder 28 is moved forwardly therepast. Continuedforward movement of the food holder will result in lifting of the sameby the rear sloping portion of the deflector plate 48 to raise thetailpiece 39 above the rear end portion of the tray-opening rail 44.Further forward movement of the food holder relative to the deflectorplate 48 will cause the same to be engaged by the outwardly anddownwardly sloping forward surface 49 to further lift the food holder todisengage its hanger-engaging hook portions 27 from the apertures 26 inthe associated hangers 25 and tilt the food holder outwardly. Suchtilting separation of the food holder 28 from its hangers 25 will beaccompanied by pivoting of its tailpiece 39 on the upper surface of rail44 to insure dumping of the separated food holder onto the receivingchute 43. It will be appreciated that the previously described hangingof the food holders 28 from the hangers 25 carried by the chain 24enables such removal of the food holders to be effected automatically,and it will be understood that the placement and configuration of thenormally inoperative deflector means may be varied to suit the specificarrangement of the broiler structure.

It also will be appreciated, as best illustrated in FIG. I, that thearrangement of the hangers 25 is such as to facilitate use of foodholders 28 having lesser or greater widths to accommodate patties orother food pieces of different sizes. The maximum width for the holders28 is determined only by the clearance available as the holder goesaround a sprocket 21.

It is thought that the invention and many of the attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a production broiler having a frame, vertically disposed burnermeans mounted on said frame in spaced relationship to each other todefine a plurality of open-ended broiler spaces therebetween, an endlesschain, sprockets mounted on vertical axes to engage and support saidchain above and vertically aligned with said broiler spaces, and motormeans for drivingly rotating at least one of said sprockets, hangersspaced from each other along and secured to said chain in dependingrelationship for continuous movement longitudinally of said broilerspaces in response to operation of said motor means, and food holdersreadily removably carried in depending relationship by said hangers forcontinuous longitudinal movement through said broiler spaces, each saidfood holder having hanger-engaging portions spaced longitudinally fromeach other for engaging different said hangers to stabilize said foodholders and avoid vertical twisting thereof, wherein each said foodholder comprises a first part defining a vertical wall terminating atits lower end in an outwardly extending horizontal floor, and a secondpart having a base with an outer edge pivotally mounted on the outeredge of said floor and a second wall secured at its lower end to saidbase and defining a right angle therewith.

2. A production broiler according to claim 1, wherein said second partof each said food holder comprises a tray for a meat patty, or the like,whereby the weight of a said patty therein on said base normallymaintains said tray in closed position with said second wall verticaland said patty disposed on edge between said walls.

3. A production broiler according to claim 2, wherein said second wallof each said food holder is secured to said base a substantial distanceinwardly from said outer edges to assure a maximum tray-closing forcebeing exerted by a patty on said base.

4. A production broiler according to claim 2, wherein said walls, floorand base of each said food holder comprise rods disposed parallel toeach other with the outer ends of those defining said floor and baseformed into loops, and a hinge pin extending through said loops topivotally secure said first and second parts together.

5. In a production broiler according to claim 2, a delivery chute, andtray-opening means cooperating with said second part of each said foodholder to effect outward pivotal move ment thereof relative to saidfirst part as said holder approaches said chute to automatically delivera said patty in said holder to said chute.

6. A production broiler according to claim 5, wherein said tray-openingmeans comprises a rail on said frame and a tailpiece extending outwardlyfrom each said second part for cooperation therewith.

7. in a production broiler according to claim 5, limiting meansterminating tray-opening movements of said second parts by saidtray-opening means and operable automatically thereafter to effecttray-closing inward pivotal movement of said second parts.

8. A production broiler according to claim 7, wherein said limiting andtray-closing means comprises a second rail on said frame and a fingerextending outwardly from each said second part for cooperationtherewith.

9. In a production broiler according to claim 5, normally inoperativedeflector means mounted on said frame rearwardly adjacent saidtray-opening means and selectively operable manually to operativeposition to effect automatic lifting of said food holders above saidtray-opening means to effect disengagement of said hanger-engagingportions thereof from said hangers and to cause said tray-opening meansto cooperate therewith in tiltingly delivering such disengaged foodholders into said chute.

10. In a production broiler according to claim 2, normally inoperativedeflector means mounted on said frame and selectively movable tooperative position for engagement by said food holders to cam the sameupwardly as they are moved therepast by said chain to therebyautomatically separate said hanger-engaging portions from said hangers.

11. A production broiler according to claim 10, wherein said deflectormeans comprises a cam plate operable to lift said food holders and tiltthe upper ends thereof outwardly.

1. In a production broiler having a frame, vertically disposed burnermeans mounted on said frame in spaced relationship to each other todefine a plurality of open-ended broiler spaces therebetween, an endlesschain, sprockets mounted on vertical axes to engage and support saidchain above and vertically aligned with said broiler spaces, and motormeans for drivingly rotating at least one of said sprockets, hangersspaced from each other along and secured to said chain in dependingrelationship for continuous movement longitudinally of said broilerspaces in response to operation of said motor means, and food holdersreadily removably carried in depending relationship by said hangers forcontinuous longitudinal movement through said broiler spaces, each saidfood holder having hanger-engaging portions spaced longitudinally fromeach other for engaging different said hangers to stabilize said foodholders and avoid vertical twisting thereof, wherein each said foodholder comprises a first part defining a vertical wall terminating atits lower end in an outwardly extending horizontal floor, and a secondpart having a base with an outer edge pivotally mounted on the outeredge of said floor and a second wall secured at its lower end to saidbase and defining a right angle therewith.
 2. A production broileraccording to claim 1, wherein said second part of each said food holdercomprises a tray for a meat patty, or the like, whereby the weight of asaid patty therein on said base normally maintains said tray in closedposition with said second wall vertical and said patty disposed on edgebetween said walls.
 3. A production broiler according to claim 2,wherein said second wall of each said food holder is secured to saidbase a substantial distance inwardly from said outer edges to assure amaximum tray-closing force being exerted by a patty on said base.
 4. Aproduction broiler according to claim 2, wherein said walls, floor andbase of each said food holder comprise rods disposed parallel to eachother with the outer ends of those defining said floor and base formedinto loops, and a hinge pin extending through said loops to pivotallysecure said first and second parts together.
 5. In a production broileraccording to claim 2, a delivery chute, and tray-opening meanscooperating with said second part of each said food holder to effectoutward pivotal movement thereof relative to said first part as saidholder approaches said chute to automatically deliver a said patty insaid holder to said chute.
 6. A production broiler according to claim 5,wherein said tray-opening means comprises a rail on said frame and atailpiece extending outwardly from each said second part for cooperatioNtherewith.
 7. In a production broiler according to claim 5, limitingmeans terminating tray-opening movements of said second parts by saidtray-opening means and operable automatically thereafter to effecttray-closing inward pivotal movement of said second parts.
 8. Aproduction broiler according to claim 7, wherein said limiting andtray-closing means comprises a second rail on said frame and a fingerextending outwardly from each said second part for cooperationtherewith.
 9. In a production broiler according to claim 5, normallyinoperative deflector means mounted on said frame rearwardly adjacentsaid tray-opening means and selectively operable manually to operativeposition to effect automatic lifting of said food holders above saidtray-opening means to effect disengagement of said hanger-engagingportions thereof from said hangers and to cause said tray-opening meansto cooperate therewith in tiltingly delivering such disengaged foodholders into said chute.
 10. In a production broiler according to claim2, normally inoperative deflector means mounted on said frame andselectively movable to operative position for engagement by said foodholders to cam the same upwardly as they are moved therepast by saidchain to thereby automatically separate said hanger-engaging portionsfrom said hangers.
 11. A production broiler according to claim 10,wherein said deflector means comprises a cam plate operable to lift saidfood holders and tilt the upper ends thereof outwardly.